Where does Southern University rank for affordability?

Southern University was recently included in a list ranking for annual tuition and fees from the most affordable HBCU, to the most expensive. The list includes both public and private universities and excludes the factoring of any state scholarship programs (ex: TOPS). Southern found itself in the median range–sitting at $8,666 for in-state students and $18,080 for out-of-state students. The most affordable school was $2,803 for both in and out-of-state students, the most expensive–$28,181.

That’s not bad for a school in a state that has been battling budget cuts for eight years.

Over the summer, the university saw a 4.95 percent increase in its student fees. In July 2018, The Advocate reported that fees increased $217 for undergraduate students and $250 for graduate students at the school. Increases also occurred for the New Orleans campus, the Shreveport campus and the Law Center. Altogether, the increased fees were estimated to bring in approximately $4.2 million.

Southern’s status on the tuition ranking says that the university still has a competitive rank in affordability and that the school remains open to a diverse socioeconomic pool. When TOPS is factored in for a potential in-state student, the affordability rate increases.

On an even lighter note, according to the Forbes 2018 list of top HBCU’s in Louisiana, Southern University and A&M College alumni have an annual earning average of $33,800. This is the second highest earning average next to Xavier University, which has the annual earning of $47,900.

The mission of Southern University and A&M College, a historically black, 1890 land-grant institution, is to provide opportunities for a diverse student population to achieve a high-quality, global educational experience, to engage in scholarly, research, and creative activities, and to give meaningful public service to the community, and the state.